Nut Free Green Smoothie

January 19, 2020

Packed with nutrients while food allergy friendly, this Nut Free Green Smoothie is a delicious breakfast or snack that will leave you feeling energized and ready to tackle your day!

Nut Free, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Soy Free, Egg Free, Grain Free

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by SunButter, but all opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make the Chelsey Amer Nutrition blog possible.

Are you a smoothie lover? Smoothies are one of those meal or snacks that when you’re in the mood, just HITS THE SPOT!

Smoothies are refreshing, delicious, creamy, silky smooth, taste great, and can be packed with tons of nutrients.

But, not all smoothies are created equally!

Many juice and smoothie bars will add TONS of fruit, sweetened yogurt, added sugars, and globs of nut and seed butters to their smoothies. This won’t help you reach most health and wellness goals.

However, with careful craftsmanship, you can create a smoothie that tastes great AND is great for your body.

How to Build a Healthy Smoothie

Smoothies are an excellent vehicle to help you eat more fruits and vegetables, but it’s easy to go overboard.

I suggest following this formula for creating a nourishing and balanced smoothie:

1 fruit + 1 protein + 1 healthy fat + unlimited vegetables + liquid

Choose 1 Fruit

As I often describe to clients, it’s easy to pile in two bananas, a cup of berries, one mango, and a cup of pineapple into a smoothie. But would you sit down and eat all of this fruit in one sitting? Probably not.

>>> Are Bananas Bad For You? Find out here! <<<

Even though this is NATURAL sugar from fruit, I don’t suggest consuming it all at once because it will still impact your blood sugar. To avoid a blood sugar spike from your smoothie, choose one (mayyyybe two) servings of fruit for your smoothie.

If you’re currently loading your blender with tons of fruit, slowly dial it back and your taste buds will adjust.

To mix and match fruits in your smoothie, simply use a half portion or quarter portion of various fruits, like I did in this Creamy Chocolate Blueberry Smoothie.

Choose 1 Protein

Protein is satiating, filling, and necessary to balance the natural sugar found in fruit. When building a balanced meal, we always want one protein source.

Here are some nut-free protein sources for your smoothies:

Hemp seeds
Chia seeds
Sunflower seeds
Pumpkin seeds
Flax seeds
Seed butters (like SunButter)
Yogurt, especially Greek yogurt (note: not all non-dairy yogurts are a good source of protein!)
Protein powder, like collagen
Plant-based pea milk
Dairy milk

Add 1 Healthy Fat

Fats are satisfying and digest slowly, which will keep you full for an extended period of time. Choose one healthy fat to start. If you find your smoothie isn’t keeping you full long enough, then add another.

Here are some examples of healthy fats to add to your nut free green smoothie:

Avocado
SunButter
Oil
Coconut butter
Seeds (see above for specific ideas)
Coconut milk

Add Unlimited Vegetables

Vegetables contain an array of vitamins and minerals, plus fiber and water, for very few calories. Add as many vegetables as you want.

Baby spinach is a personal favorite because it’s PACKED with vitamin K, folate, vitamin A, calcium, and much more, but has a very mild taste. In fact, in this nut free green smoothie you can barely taste it! Almost every smoothie recipe I’ve shared on Chelsey Amer Nutrition contains baby spinach for this reason – it’s too easy NOT to add. This is also a great tip for kids who don’t always want to eat their vegetables. They find a green smoothie to be “cool,” and won’t be picky about how it got its color!

You can use any leafy green you have on hand, however. Kale has a heartier texture though, so be sure to use a high-powered blender.

Some of my other favorite vegetables to add to smoothies include:

Beets – like in this Healthy Strawberry Milkshake
Zucchini – fresh or frozen works
Celery – adds an earthy flavor, if you’re into that sort of thing

Don’t Forget Your Blending Liquid

You need a liquid to blend your smoothie. The amount of liquid you add helps contribute to the thickness of your smoothie. I always start with 1/3 cup and “titrate” up from there, usually ending closer to one-half cup most of the time.

You can choose:

Milk
Non-dairy milk alternatives (soy milk, pea milk, rice milk, coconut milk)
Water or coconut water
Unsweetened coffee or tea – I’m working on a new recipe with this!

I always suggest adding your blending liquid FIRST for optimal blending!

Add Some Smoothie Extras

If you want to enhance your smoothie, you can always add extras, like spices, adaptogens, or powders. These are optional, but can enhance the flavor and health benefits of your smoothie.

Some of my favorite nut-free enhancements include:

Unsweetened cocoa powder for a chocolatey flare (like in this Chocolate Berry Smoothie)
Beet powder – this could count as a vegetable, but it adds a slightly sweet flavor too
Gogi berries – these are expensive, so only buy if on sale!
Cinnamon

What’s in this Nut Free Green Smoothie:

Non-dairy milk or water: Always add your liquid base to your blender first. Trust me, it makes the ingredients blend MUCH smoother. You can add ANY milk or milk alternative you’d like. Personally, I used pea protein milk here, but even water will work (although your result won’t be as creamy). You can also try soy milk, dairy milk, coconut milk, etc.

No Added Sugar SunButter: SunButter adds creamy texture and a nutty flavor to this nut free smoothie, with a boost of protein. I prefer the no added sugar variety in smoothies, especially when they’re for breakfast or a morning snack, to eliminate any added sugar. I just don’t think we need added sugar in the morning (most of the time). SunButter contains monounsaturated healthy fats, plus even a little bit of fiber.

Baby spinach: As I mentioned above, baby spinach is packed with nutrients, but blends to a very mild taste to enjoy in your smoothie. Plus, your smoothie won’t be green without it!

Zucchini: Like spinach, zucchini is full of water, but very mild in taste and texture.

Chia seeds: I added chia seeds as my protein. They also contain omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid (healthy fats), for a bonus.

Banana: The fruit in this smoothie is frozen banana. It adds the yummiest creamy texture and pairs so well with SunButter.

Cinnamon: For a little something extra, I added cinnamon too. If you’re not a fan, you can omit this, but I love the taste AND the health benefits. Did you know cinnamon helps with blood sugar control?

This Nut Free Green Smoothie is…

Easy to make
Well-balanced
Made with only 7 ingredients
Delicious
A perfect snack or part of a balanced breakfast
A great way to add vegetables in the morning
Nut free
Dairy free
Food allergy friendly